Forces and motion

What are Forces?

Forces are all around us. Without forces, things would not move. There are many different kinds of forces. You know that pushing and pulling are forces. Wind is a pushing force. Wind fills the sail of a boat and pushes it through the water.

Wind pushes your kite when you fly it. In a tornado or hurricane the wind is strong enough to push big things like cars and even houses. Can you think of any pulling forces?

Who uses Forces?

People use forces all the time. When you kick a ball, you are using a pushing force. When you pick up your back pack, you are using a pulling force.

If you play the violin, you push and pull the bow across the strings. The strings vibrate and make sounds.

Look at the forces being made on the pictures. Can you think of other ways we use force?

What is Friction?

Friction is a force. Think about riding a bicycle. As you are riding, the air around you and your bicycle causes friction. If you stop pedaling, friction makes the bicycle slow down and then stop.

​Friction makes the brakes on your bicycle work, too. The brakes press against the rim, and the friction makes you stop.

Force and motion are related to energy, gravity, inertia, and more.

Let's Write About It!

We use forces everyday. But what if there was no forces. What would a world without forces look, feel, be like? Write about that world!